


Duty First

by Salmon_I



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Episode: s02e20 Beside Still Water, Friendship, Gen, Politics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2020-04-07 19:29:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19091596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salmon_I/pseuds/Salmon_I
Summary: “How can you say that when we’re in this position because the Clave lied about the sword?  And Alec kept that lie?”“Look, Lightwood keeping the information on the sword from all of us was an insult.  We’re leaders, we would have known to keep it on the down low.  But your boy is fighting against years of training that says the Clave is right, and we can’t be trusted.  So he slipped up.  You’d have forgiven a Downworlder a much bigger slip up.  You have forgiven Downworlders for much bigger slip ups.”“Forgiving Alexander is one thing, Raphael.  Trusting the Shadowhunters is another.  One Magnus Banes pre-Alec Lightwood would never have-”“Maybe I like Magnus Banes post-Alec Lightwood.”  Raphael interrupted.Magnus froze, startled by those words from Raphael of all people.  “What?”





	Duty First

When the knocking started, all Magnus could think was - when did his apartment become Grand Central Station?  His life used to be so peaceful.

“The Seelie bitch betrayed us.”  Raphael greeted him when he opened the door.

Magnus stepped back to let him in. This clearly wasn’t about Maia.  Simon and Lucian cared about her, but to Raphael she was just a random werewolf.  “What do you mean?”

“She made a deal with Valentine.  He used her realm to cross out of the city.  One of my vamps saw them meet on the bridge from a sewer tunnel.”

Well, that was… monumentally bad.  “She’s trying to force all our hands.”

“Never should have trusted a Seelie.”  Raphael ground out in frustration.

“You can trust a Seelie more than the Clave.”  Magnus reminded him. He had literal centuries of interactions to back that.

“Your boy ain’t the Clave.  Maybe we should have trusted him.”

“Alec isn’t my anything.”

“Yah, the intense staring at the meeting - pretty much ignoring all of us, including the Seelie Queen, to talk directly at you.  That means nothing on his part, I’m sure.  Let alone the literal cold front that was Magnus Banes at that same meeting.”

“That was-”

“You forgot me at the Institute.”

“If I didn’t stay close to the Queen, Alec would have tried to speak with me.”

“And maybe you should have let him.”  Raphael crossed his arms.

Magnus sighed.  “Raphael.”

“Seriously, choosing the Fae Bitch over your boy-”

“Was exactly the choice Magnus Banes would have made before Alec Lightwood came into his life.” Magnus cut him off.  “I never would have had as much faith in any of the recent occurrences, from the previous battles to the cabinet meetings, if it weren’t for Alexander.  Meliorn was right at that first meeting, I was biased.  I put so much stock in Alec's honesty as an individual, I failed to remember that in the end he is a Shadowhunter.  More than that, he is someone trained to run an Institute.  I let my trust go to deep.”

“Maybe, maybe not.”

“How can you say that when we’re in this position because the Clave lied about the sword?  And Alec kept that lie?”

“Look, Lightwood keeping the information on the sword from all of us was an insult.  We’re leaders, we would have known to keep it on the down low.  But your boy is fighting against years of training that says the Clave is right, and we can’t be trusted.  So he slipped up.  You’d have forgiven a Downworlder a much bigger slip up.  You have forgiven Downworlders for much bigger slip ups.”

“Forgiving Alexander is one thing, Raphael.  Trusting the Shadowhunters is another.  One Magnus Banes pre-Alec Lightwood would never have-”

“Maybe I like Magnus Banes post-Alec Lightwood.”  Raphael interrupted.

Magnus froze, startled by those words from Raphael of all people.  “What?”

“You were there for me, always, but I saw how you were with others over the years.  How you kept your distance.  How you refused to care.  How you didn’t take risks. Since Lightwood you’ve been different.  You’ve cared more, you’ve risked more.  For all of us.  He put a spark in you.  Don’t smother that.”

“If it comes to war, my place is with the Downworlders, Raphael.  Alec will become my enemy.”

“The Seelie are the ones pushing for war, Magnus.”

“And the Clave.”

“So maybe what we need is a third side.  Like your boy Lightwood.”

“You think Alexander Lightwood can change the world?”  Magnus asked him, amused.

Raphael met his amused look steadily.  “Not really, but I think you think so."

The amusement faded quickly.  “If I let myself see him as anything but a Shadowhunter, and the Head of the New York Institute, I’ll just… fall right back into him.  Into trusting him.”

“So do it.”

“I can’t.  As High Warlock of Brooklyn, I have to put my duty first.  Our people above anything, or anyone, else."

“Fine. But don’t try to be who you were before you met him.  He changed you, don’t fight that. Don’t make calls based on who you once were.  Like trusting the Seelie Queen.”

“Choosing her side wasn’t about trust.  it was about choosing the Downworld.  I thought in that, at least, she wouldn’t waver.”

“Well, clearly you miscalculated.”

“And if we all survive this, I’ll pay for that mistake.”  Magnus told him.  Raphael frowned at the words, but Magnus only sighed.  There were plenty of warlocks who would jump on his error - take it to the High Council, even.  Right now there was no time to worry about that, though.  There might not be a High Council if Valentine succeeded.  “I felt angelic power push through my wards.  Clary must have used her portal rune.  I’m guessing Jace went with her, maybe others.  They’ll stop Valentine.”

“You're sure?”

“No, but do we have a choice?”

“We can send in back up. Can’t you drop your wards?”

“I can’t.  Because someone took advantage of the chaos surrounding Valentine to summon demons.”

“What?”

“I have several reports saying we have multiple demons flying around.  Right now, my Warlocks are the only thing keeping those things penned.”

“What do we do about the Seelie Queen?”

“The deal still stands with the Seelie Queen.”  Magnus reminded him.

Raphael looked at him in disbelief. “She betrayed us.”

“If Valentine makes that wish, the Seelie Realm is the only safe place.  So long as the deal still stands, she has to take us in.  Promises are binding to a Seelie.”

“You’re going to have us take refuge with the bitch that sold us out?”

“I’m going to protect all the Downworlders I can, in whatever way I have to. Gather your people, just in case.  I’ll send mine to you when I can.”

“...you’re not planning on coming with us.”  Raphael realized.

“I have to do everything I can to stop Valentine.  I can’t do that hiding in the Seelie Court.”

“Magnus…” Raphael looked torn.

“Oh, don't get sappy on me." Magnus teased.  "We're not done for yet."

"You're the sappy one." Raphael told him.

Magnus offered a smile, reaching out to cup the side of his face. "You're right, I am."

The two hugged briefly before he saw Raphael out the door.  It sounded like great advice - letting himself be the person knowing Alec had changed him into.  Unlocked within him.  If they all survived, maybe he could revisit it.  Right now, though, was all about survival and that trust, that softness, was a weakness he couldn't afford.  If that meant play acting who he'd been before he came into his life, so be it. Duty first.

 

_Fini_

**Author's Note:**

> Ironically, compared to a lot of fics I read, I don’t think Magnus chose the Seelie Queen because he was letting emotions cloud his judgement. I think it was the opposite. He was ignoring his emotions while making the decision - ignoring the months of trust he had built up in the group because he felt war was coming. He was trying to close his heart again and view them as the enemy - because if it came to war that was what they would be.  
> We also aren’t shown how he found out about the Seelie Queen’s deal with Valentine. Luke and Simon were still in the Seelie Realm when Alec went to see him - yet somehow he already knows. I figured that left Raphael to be the one to tell him. Plus, I just really like Magnus and Raphael's friendship and wish we'd gotten more of it.


End file.
